Ramblings on libraries and life upon the wicked stage

You know, Kiss Me, Kate really doesn’t have the most musically-advanced opening number in the world, and the lyrics are pretty simplistic, but it has a power and appropriateness which is hard to match. As I have been rehearsing the number over the past few weeks, I’ve been struck by this again and again. Sometimes less really is more, even in musical theatre.

The tune is simple and catchy, though the revised version of the show currently doing the rounds adds some tough harmonies to the number. It drives along, expressing the combination of dread and elation that performing a show brings with it. I sincerely doubt that a musical analysis of the song would provide much insight even if I had the skills to do such a thing, so let’s look at the lyrics…